gasp

1 of 2

verb

gasped; gasping; gasps

intransitive verb

1
: to catch the breath convulsively and audibly (as with shock)
2
: to breathe laboriously

transitive verb

: to utter in a gasping manner

gasp

2 of 2

noun

plural gasps
: an act of gasping : a sudden loud intake of breath with one's mouth because of surprise, shock, pain, etc.
He let out an audible gasp at the sight of the snake.
a gasp of surprise
His eyes looked wild and strange from the fever; he trembled continuously, and each breath he took sounded like a gasp for life.Robert C. O'Brien
In the next hour Lemieux drew gasps from the crowd half a dozen more times …E. M. Swift

Examples of gasp in a Sentence

Verb Mom gasped in surprise at the sight of my sister's new haircut. He gasped as he stepped into the icy water. a dying man gasping for breath She was gasping for air.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The newest Dodgers star homers in gasping good debut Feb. 27, 2024 Ohtani, who used Japanese female pronouns in the post, did not identify his wife. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Call 911 if a child is not responding, not breathing or gasping uncontrollably. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024 In the second quarter, Swift gasped as Patrick Mahomes completed a 53-yard pass to Mecole Hardman at the 10-yard line. Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024 But in 2020, her Old English sheepdog, Patricio, would sometimes wake up in the night gasping for breath because of an inflammatory disorder in his nasal cavity. Rachel Nuwer, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024 Witnesses said Smith shook vigorously and gasped for air as corrections staff administered nitrogen for about 15 minutes. USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024 Kim appeared to gasp in happy surprise in the final picture as Brielle held the phone up. Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 The graphic videos were only shown to the jury during the three-week trial, but audio could be heard in the gallery, where some heard Henry gasping for breath before dying. CBS News, 23 Feb. 2024 Alabama is seeking to execute a second inmate using a nitrogen gas that became the subject of controversy last month when convicted murdered Kenneth Smith was observed convulsing and gasping for air while being put to death. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024
Noun
Unfortunately, that car’s existence was more of a last gasp than a sign of hope for automotive purists. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Granada’s last gasp was a 3-pointer from Lomba at the buzzer for the final margin. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 Those peering into the tent gasp at the sudden stench. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Ilkay Gundogan could have snatched a win with a last gasp chance in injury time, but the German passing the ball to the wrong side of the post meant that Xavi was left to lament what could have been ahead of the return fixture at the Montjuic Stadium on March 12. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 But then something happened on the way to ratings infinity: Viewership went stagnant and, gasp, even declined. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2024 The decision was met with sighs and gasps by many of those gathered in the courthouse, which included student Darryl George’s supporters and natural-hair advocates. Char Adams, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2024 Sunset Sound is among the last holdouts of a once-thriving music-business ecosystem that is taking its last gasps. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 The byproducts of Nyad’s will, its proof — gurgles, gasps, wheezing — tell us to worry, for the voice is often taking on water. Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gasp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English; akin to Old Norse geispa to yawn

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1529, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gasp was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near gasp

Cite this Entry

“Gasp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gasp. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gasp

verb
1
: to draw in a breath sharply (as with shock)
2
: to breathe with difficulty : pant
3
: to utter with quick difficult breaths
gasp noun

More from Merriam-Webster on gasp

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